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Professor O’Rourke inducted into the Academia de Ingenierίa México

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Professor Thomas O'Rourke

Professor O’Rourke was inducted into the Academia de Ingenierίa México at a ceremony in Mexico City on 28 September 2017. Norma Jean Mattei, President of the American Society of Civil Engineers, was also inducted in the same ceremony. The Academia de Ingenierίa México, or Mexican Academy of Engineering, is the equivalent in Mexico to the National Academy of Engineering in the US. It is an honorific academy, whose members also provide advice for government. Each year, a small number of foreign members are elected.

Professor O’Rourke gave his inaugural lecture on “Ground Deformation Effects on Subsurface Pipelines and Infrastructure Systems”. He also participated the day before in a conference on Infrastructure at the Border and gave a presentation entitled “Hazard Resilient Infrastructure”. In his lecture he advocated for greater collaboration between US and Mexican engineers on earthquakes and hurricanes, both of which transcend borders and have devastating effects on the infrastructure of both countries.

While in Mexico, Professor O’Rourke helped with the earthquake reconnaissance missions of researchers supported by the National Science Foundation, who were investigating the effects of the MW7.1 September 19, 2017 Central Mexico earthquake and MW8.1 September 7, 2017 Chiapas earthquake.

Professor O’Rourke has been a member of the National Academy of Engineering since 1993. In 2014 he was elected an International Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering, and received his membership scroll from Prince Philip at the induction ceremony.